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Bidding goodbye to High Country nursery

By Carol O'Meara For the Camera

Posted:
12/17/2012 02:08:23 PM MST

Updated:
12/19/2012 10:27:53 AM MST

A friend leaned close to whisper awful words in my ear, words that make many gardeners in the west sad. "High Country Gardens has closed down," she said, speaking of the Santa Fe, N.M., business that has been a class act in our region and a leader in developing and promoting water-responsible plants for more than 19 years.

According to an article in The Santa Fe New Mexican, High Country Gardens and its parent company, Santa Fe Greenhouses, could not overcome setbacks caused by the effects of slow consumer spending, drought, fire and competition from big-box stores. Attempts to downsize failed to save the nursery.

"I think what David and Ava Salman did was to bring the message of the beauty of water wise garden plants to the country," said Pat Hayward, executive director of Plant Select, plantselect.org. "People fell in love with them; all over the country people wanted that look. David combined beauty and water wise gardening in ways no one else has done, creating excitement."

Salman worked closely with the Plant Select, a program dedicated to finding, promoting, and distributing plants that thrive in our harsh, dry Rocky Mountain gardens. "We've been working closely with David since I first came on as executive director. Blonde Ambition blue grama grass (Bouteloua gracilis 'Blonde Ambition') was one of his introductions, and we plan to have more of his work. The void is huge, but he'll continue breeding plants and discovering new, beautiful introductions. He has an amazing eye."

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The current economy doesn't seem to favor any business right now, but plant industry is dear to the hearts of gardeners. When one of our own closes down we feel the loss, especially gardeners in far flung locations who have difficulty finding water thrifty plants in their communities.

On his Dec. 6 blog Prairie Break prairiebreak.blogspot.com, Panayoti Kelaidis, senior curator and director of outreach for the Denver Botanic Gardens, said that High Country Gardens' 19 years "is a hell of a run for any nursery."

With many plant introductions of his own, Kelaidis said he was deeply saddened by the closing of the cutting edge business. "No question, it was the highest caliber of production, the perfect combination of quality plants for the widest market. Theirs was a magical gift to our industry."

Kelaidis points to Plant Select for those looking to fill the void in searching for additions to water responsible gardens. The plants Salman helped that program introduce will continue to thrill gardeners, keeping nurseries in Colorado doing well, by and large, said the esteemed Denver Botanic Gardens' plantsman. "Salman helped Plant Select create a palette of plants ideal for western gardens, plants that are low water. It's like our own drought insurance for our industry. These plants are adapted, tailored to our state and growing conditions."

Rumors abound as to whether the catalog business of the company will find new ownership, but in the meantime, gardeners, take a moment to ponder where you purchase gifts this season and next year. Check out local garden centers and nurseries for their stock, and talk to the staff. Over repeat visits, you'll find they become like family, and our patronage helps them stay afloat while we all ride out the economy.

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